News Archive

In the wake of a recent Congressional hearing on Occupy DC, misleading threats from Mayor Vince Gray about nonexistent "health" concerns in the park, and yesterday's taser attack that hospitalized a resident of the park, the National Park Service has given Occupiers in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza until 12:00 noon today until they will begin enforcing a no-camping ban. Occupy DC has begun preparing nonviolent resistance and is calling for all supporters to join them.

Tents and other belongings have been piled in the center of the camp so that police cannot pick off individuals, while others are planning civil disobedience in defense of their home and our collective right to protest economic inequality! Watch Twitter feeds for #OccupyDC, #McPhersonSQ, #defend99, #J30, @Occupy_DC, and @OccupyDCAction. If you can't make it to McPherson, you can phone blast the Park Police at 202-610-7500. As @OccupyKSt tweeted:

One more time: we refuse to accept a world where you have to pay somebody just to take up space. We have no homes. Let us keep our park.

Live Updates:

10:00am, Tuesday Jan 31: The Tent of Dreams still stands. No arrests. Occupiers spent the night resting and playing games. There is a 10AM hearing for Occupy DC's injunction against NPS at 333 Constitution Ave NW. Lawyer invites Occupiers to come support.Read More...

Sunday morning, while the National Park Service police were handing out "no camping" notices to McPherson Square, an occupier at Occupy DC was tazed apparently for walking near his home. The tazing resulted in a seizure - most likely due to a pre-existing medical condition. Witnesses say the victim attempted to notify the police about his medical condition but the police initially blocked his request for an ambulance. He was eventually sent to a hospital. The attacking officer's name is allegedly Lemke - NPS badge number #398.

As of 8pm EST, actions are currently happening or planned in response to extreme police violence used against Occupy Oakland yesterday in New York City, Boston, Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Oslo, Philadelphia, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Portland, Tampa, Indianapolis, New Haven, Orlando, Jackson, Des Moines, Hollywood, Baltimore, Portland ME, Tulsa, Denver, St. Louis, Eugene, Nashville, and Detroit. We have also received word that the Bank of Ideas in London is being raided!